Stop this appalling decision

Last week I spent nine hours, more with travelling, going to meetings to try to stop the downgrading of Dewsbury and District Hospital.

On Monday I was at Wakefield County Hall for the scrutiny panel meeting – these are the only people now who can stop this appalling decision to downgrade our services.

On Wednesday I was at the town hall in Cleckheaton for the CCG meeting and on Thursday it was Ossett town hall for the final decision meeting.

I am on the committee of Save Local Hospital Services group and worked in health care for more than 30 years yet, as our group have worked tirelessly, only the retired people can attend the meetings held during the day. Every CCG meeting has been held from 9am-noon. Some Trust meetings have been held in the evenings but have been poorly advertised.

I really am fed up of people travelling miles to different hospitals, and also the waiting times in A&E and sometimes poor care from doctors’ surgeries and in hospital.

The Trust have now decided not to build the new 50-bed unit at Pinderfields. Did I read in the local paper there is a ward closed at Dewsbury and District Hospital? Why aren’t they using this when reporting there are no beds at Dewsbury, it’s full.

At the final decision meeting at Ossett Town Hall, Stephen Eames, the chief executive of the Mid-Yorkshire Trust, said the consultation had been held robustly and meetings had been held in lots of different places for as many people as possible to attend, and also the roadshows had worked well for everyone to pick up the Meeting the Challenge consultation packs.

I do hope councillors on the joint Wakefield and Kirklees health and scrutiny committee decide to refer their decision to the Secretary of State, Jeremy Hunt.

WENDY SENIOR

Kennedy Close

Dewsbury

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